squiggle

1 of 2

verb

squig·​gle ˈskwi-gəl 

squiggled; squiggling ˈskwi-g(ə-)liŋ 

intransitive verb

1

: squirm, wriggle

squiggling in her seat

2

: to write or paint hastily : scribble

transitive verb

1

: scribble

2

: to form or cause to form in squiggles

squiggle

2 of 2

noun

: a short wavy twist or line : curlicue

especially : an illegible scrawl

squiggly

ˈskwi-g(ə-)lē 

adjective

Synonyms

Verb

• fiddle
• fidget
• jerk
• jig
• jiggle
• squirm
• thrash
• thresh
• toss
• twist
• twitch
• wiggle
• wriggle
• writhe

Examples of squiggle in a Sentence

Verb

a pediatrician's waiting room full of squiggling toddlers

there are some illegible notes squiggled in the margins of the old book

Noun

His handwriting looks like a bunch of squiggles.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Vienna’s Danube, Munich’s Isar, and many rivers squiggling across the U.K. and France all have a long history of hosting swimmers. —Jessica Leigh Hester, The Atlantic, 31 July 2024

Grooves in the hillside squiggle down toward a pasture and bike path at its base. —Tyrone Beason, Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2024

Noun

Much in demand for her joyful fashion prints and clever sense of color, Birtwell’s talent has always been her ability to mix vibrant prints of different scales, freely weaving childlike splashy daisies with more geometric abstract squiggles in exuberant colorways. —Emma Baxter-Wright, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024

Avoid Squiggle and Scallop Overload There’s nothing wrong with a touch of squiggle when the time calls for it—but according to Gigs, there's such thing as too much of this whimsical look. —Sharon Greenthal, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

blend of squirm and wriggle

First Known Use

Verb

circa 1816, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

1900, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

squiggle

noun

squig·​gle

ˈskwig-əl

: a short wavy twist or line : curlicue